Raspberry Tart

This raspberry tart with plump, fresh raspberries baked in a silky custard and a sweet, shortbread crust is easy enough for a summer picnic, and fancy enough for a dinner party. If you’re looking for a fresh raspberry tart, this isn’t it, you’ll want to try my Fresh Fruit Tart with lemony cream cheese filling. This is a baked raspberry tart. The berries are baked into the tart shell, sink into the creamy batter, soften, and take on sweet-tart quality that you won’t find with fresh.

When analyzing recipes, I consider the work to pleasure ratio. Some recipes take no time, and the results are great. Some recipes involve more prep, and the results are just so-so. This raspberry tart recipe does involve more time for chilling, but the actual hands-on time takes less time than it seems. I’ll share tips to streamline the process. My tasting team decided it was well worth the effort!

Ingredients for this raspberry tart recipe:

This recipe calls for a sweet cookie dough crust, also called a pâte sucrée is the perfect counterpart to the raspberries. The filling calls for Wondra flour to help thicken it. Regular flour can be substituted, but the results won’t be as silky.

Crust ingredients:

• 1 large egg yolk, (save the white for the filling)
• 1 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (5.5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup (2.4 ounces) confectioner’s sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 Tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Filling ingredients:

• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large egg, plus 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 
• 1 Teaspoon framboise or kirsch (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice 
•  2 Tablespoons Wondra flour
• 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• 12 ounces fresh raspberries
  

How to make the raspberry tart

Start with the tart pastry

You’ll need a 9″ tart pan with a removable bottom. This is the type of pastry dough that benefits from chilling a couple of times. Don’t skip this step.

• Whisk together the yolk, cream and vanilla in a small bowl.
• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse one second to combine.
• Add butter cubes and pulse until flour resembles coarse meal, about 20, 1 second pulses.
• While machine is running, add egg mixture and process just until dough comes together.
• Flatten onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a 6″ disk and chill about 1 hour. The dough can be frozen at this point for up to 48 hours.

• Remove dough from fridge and roll into an 11″ circle. If the dough has been refrigerated for longer than an hour, allow it to soften for a few minutes until it becomes easier to roll.

• Rolling the dough between two pieces of lightly floured parchment paper helps prevent the dough from sticking. I like this Rolling Pin. 
• Carefully place dough over tart tin, and press dough into flutes on the sides of the pan. Patch any broken or patchy areas. Trim dough and freeze for 30 minutes.

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Press a piece of greased parchment of foil over the chilled dough and fill it with beans or Pie Weights. Place tart tin on a baking sheet. Bake crust for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is dry and barely golden. 
• Remove pie weights and foil and bake the crust an additional 5 to 7 minutes, or until the edges are medium golden brown. 
• Place the tart crust on a cooling rack. 

​Making the filling:

• Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, until the butter is melted and turns a pale golden brown. About 7 minutes. Pour the melted browned butter into a heatproof bowl to cool down.

• Mix the egg and egg white together in a bowl until combined.
• Add sugar and salt and whisk about a minute until well blended and light.

• Next, add the browned butter, whisking until combined. 
• Whisk in all the flavorings; the framboise, vanilla and almond extracts, lemon juice and zest.
• Finally, whisk in the Wondra, and finally the heavy cream.

• Place raspberries in an even layer over the pie crust, filling in any spaces.

• Pour filling over raspberries. Place tart on baking sheet and bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until edges are bubbling and surface is golden brown. Rotate crust 1/2 way for even baking.

• Allow tart to cool at least 1 1/2 hours and up to 6 hours. serves 

Serve the tart on its own, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, Creme Anglaise or raspberry sauce.

Make ahead tips:

Prepare the dough a day in advance. Wrap well and store in the fridge. Allow the dough to come to room temperature for easier rolling.

The crust can be pre-baked a day in advance as well. Wrap well a store on the counter until ready to bake.

Love fruity desserts? Here are some fruit forward desserts.

Peach Crostata

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Blackberry Crisp

Apple Tart

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